Wood being sold in town of Olive seized by NY state due to ash borer infestation

OLIVE >> About 14 cords of cut and split firewood and 64 logs, all infested by the emerald ash borer and being offered for sale on state Route 28, have been confiscated and destroyed, state officials said Wednesday.

The wood, infested by the invasive beetle that kills trees, was destroyed by officials from the state departments of Environmental Conservation and Agriculture and Markets in response to a citizen’s tip, according to a press release from the environmental department.

The department did not respond to a request by the Freeman regarding the name of the dealer, the date of the confiscation and whether any charges were filed.

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The firewood was chipped to prevent the emergence of adult beetles, and the 64 infested ash logs were intended to be processed into firewood, the department said.

“It appears chipping does help to solve the problem,” a department spokeswoman said.

If the infested wood was sold or transported off-site, it could have led to the further spread of this invasive species in the region, the press release said.

“The emerald ash borer is a destructive invasive species that poses a significant threat to our forests, and we urge people to follow our regulations when handling firewood to prevent the spread of this harmful insect,” Joe Martens, the Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner, said in a prepared statement. “Through education and early detection of new EAB infestation, we can reduce the environmental and economic damage caused by this invasive species. People need to be aware of the dangers and be vigilant in their efforts to avoid transporting” emerald ash borers.

The emerald ash borer is an Asian beetle that infests and kills North American ash trees. All native ash trees — including green, white, black and blue — are susceptible, and most trees die within two to four years of becoming infested. The emerald ash borer is responsible for the destruction of more than 50 million ash trees in the U.S. since its discovery in southeastern Michigan in 2002.

A significant area of New York state, including all of Ulster County, is under an emerald ash borer quarantine. State and federal quarantine regulations prohibit any movement of live emerald ash borers from a site where the beetle is found, including movement of firewood or logs infested with emerald ash borer eggs, larvae, pupae or adults, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

New Yorkers and visitors are urged to use only local firewood or heat-treated firewood that meets state firewood treatment standards, which are available online at alturl.com/pmdtq.

Adult emerald ash borers leave distinctive D-shaped exit holes in the outer bark of tree branches and trunks, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. Adults are roughly three-eighths to five-eighths of an inch long with metallic green wing covers and a coppery red or purple abdomen. They may be present from late May through early September but are most common in June and July. Signs of infestation include tree canopy dieback and the yellowing or browning of leaves.

Anyone who suspects the presence of emerald ash borers in firewood or local trees should call the Department of Environmental Conservation hotline at (866) 640-0652.

About the Author

Diane Pineiro-Zucker has been a reporter at the Daily Freeman since April 2013.
Pineiro-Zucker worked as a reporter in the Freeman’s Rhinebeck bureau in the early 1980s, left to become executive editor at Taconic Newspapers in Dutchess County, and returned to the Freeman in 2010 as a copy editor. Reach the author at dpzucker@freemanonline.com
or follow Diane on Twitter: @DianeAtFreeman.